The Emperor’s Caretaker, Vol. 1

Gr 8 Up–At the insistence of the five great families of Guangyan, Emperor Zhiyou is holding a selection ceremony to choose his empress. Lady Linhua of the Liu family has been ordered by her father to participate, despite being 17 while the emperor is only five years old. However, Linhua has no intentions of becoming the empress. Her kindness glimmers as she comforts the other candidates and her skilled erhu-playing gains the attention of the emperor’s regent, Lord Souren. Now, Lady Linhua finds herself invited back to court, but instead of a marriage proposal, she is offered a position to become the emperor’s caretaker. This tale is an adaptation of a light novel, brought to life by Yoshimura’s artwork. Ornate furnishings and fashion instantly immerse readers in the historical setting. The narrative flows at a good pace while also establishing the key players and information needed to understand this fictional world. This volume also includes a short story by Hiiragi, the author of the original series.